Official Social Network of The Theosophical Society in America
The Theosophical Society in America: A Vision for Our Future
Your Board of Directors has been working on the seeds of a “strategic vision” for the TSA, with the intention of casting these seeds among lodges, study centers, and national members for refinement, cultivation, nurturance, and, finally, the collective birth of a roadmap to guide the work of the TSA in future years.
Initiated by our National President in February 2008, a “Strategic Visioning Committee” was formed consisting of outgoing and incoming Board members, thus contributing both experience and fresh vision. The charge of the Committee was to answer the following questions, considered essential to the future health and well-being of the TSA: (1) Where Are We? (2) What is our purpose? (3) Where are we going? And (4) How do we get there?
As we met and worked and worked and met and teleconferenced and emailed, we soon realized that this was not a simple task and that there were many overlaps within the questions. To obtain a wider and more experienced perspective, we spent time interviewing members across the country, especially our “elders” and our more seasoned workers like Joy Mills, John Algeo, Ed Abdill, Maria Parisen, Shirley Nicholson, and others, thereby obtaining, even at this early stage, diverse and experienced input.
From our preliminary work, we have learned that the TSA has two paths before it. It could become a historical society, persisting on a modest budget, existing to keep alive a body of classical theosophical teachings and ensuring that such resources are always available to the public searching for them. As such, it would serve a legitimate and noble function. The TSA could also become an active force in the world, a collection of ideas and people in service of a higher calling. The National Board of Directors believes that we all may aspire to the latter.
Of greatest importance, however, we recognize that our work as a Board is only a beginning process. What emerged from this work was the surety that we only were initiating a process that, in order to be whole and productive, must include the thoughts, inspirations, and contributions of the entire TSA membership; that is, our strategic vision must emerge from the hearts and minds of all of us, not just from a few.
To this end we are seeking your thoughts. As a member, your input is not only welcome, but absolutely essential to the life and health of the TSA. Please send your comments to TSAvisioning@hotmail.com.
Workshops to gather information from our members will be occurring around the country during the next 6-9 months. Keep checking on the schedule below to see when a workshop will be at a location convenient to you.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK THE SCHEDULE
Initiated by our National President in February 2008, a “Strategic Visioning Committee” was formed consisting of outgoing and incoming Board members, thus contributing both experience and fresh vision. The charge of the Committee was to answer the following questions, considered essential to the future health and well-being of the TSA: (1) Where Are We? (2) What is our purpose? (3) Where are we going? And (4) How do we get there?
As we met and worked and worked and met and teleconferenced and emailed, we soon realized that this was not a simple task and that there were many overlaps within the questions. To obtain a wider and more experienced perspective, we spent time interviewing members across the country, especially our “elders” and our more seasoned workers like Joy Mills, John Algeo, Ed Abdill, Maria Parisen, Shirley Nicholson, and others, thereby obtaining, even at this early stage, diverse and experienced input.
From our preliminary work, we have learned that the TSA has two paths before it. It could become a historical society, persisting on a modest budget, existing to keep alive a body of classical theosophical teachings and ensuring that such resources are always available to the public searching for them. As such, it would serve a legitimate and noble function. The TSA could also become an active force in the world, a collection of ideas and people in service of a higher calling. The National Board of Directors believes that we all may aspire to the latter.
Of greatest importance, however, we recognize that our work as a Board is only a beginning process. What emerged from this work was the surety that we only were initiating a process that, in order to be whole and productive, must include the thoughts, inspirations, and contributions of the entire TSA membership; that is, our strategic vision must emerge from the hearts and minds of all of us, not just from a few.
To this end we are seeking your thoughts. As a member, your input is not only welcome, but absolutely essential to the life and health of the TSA. Please send your comments to TSAvisioning@hotmail.com.
Workshops to gather information from our members will be occurring around the country during the next 6-9 months. Keep checking on the schedule below to see when a workshop will be at a location convenient to you.
Tags: america, future, society, strategic, theosophical, vision, visioning
Comment
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Comment by Janeth on June 21, 2009 at 1:43am -
In an effort to avoid duplication of ideas, will it be possible for you to:
1) Make this blog accessible only to TSA members.
2) Share some of the ideas you have received already?
3) Reading some of the ideas from other TSA members could help us think of other ideas…
Also, have you considered sending an e-mail to TSA members seeking their input on this? Perhaps you may be able to get more feedback should all members become aware of your great project?
Thank you very much for your endless loving care, hard work and dedication!!☺
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